Nairobi News

LifeWhat's Hot

Why city motorists have reason to fear drinking this week


If you love drinking and driving be warned!

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will this Friday unleash its latest and advanced breathalyser as it steps up war against drunk driving on Kenyan roads.

The gadgets have been distributed across the country.

Since January more than 1,762 people have died, according to NTSA.

NTSA director general Francia Meja said 80 per cent of accidents in Kenyan roads are attributed to human behaviours.

“We intend to use them from tomorrow during our random drink driving operation in towns and major highways,” said Mr Meja.

“Alcohol impairs a drivers cognitive ability turning them into a hazard on the road. It impairs vision, judgement sensory ability. All being critical aspects of safe driving.”

If you breathe into the new gadget, it gives results faster than the older generation. It also has a finger print reader to show your history.

There about 50 of them.

PHOTO | OUMA WANZALA
PHOTO | OUMA WANZALA

Mr Meja said NTSA anti-drink driving operations have deterred many from driving under the influence of alcohol.

He added that NTSA has noted a number of revelers opt to take a taxi rather than driving which is very encouraging.

“These operations are about enhancement of safe driving including the safety of the drunk driver themselves,” he added.

“We have been undertaking evidenced based operations and the addition of the gadgets will enhance our efforts significantly.”

FALSE REPRIEVE

In April this year, beer lovers and bar owners got false reprieve after reports that the Court of Appeal had nullified use of alcoblows.

For the next few days, motorists who had been arrested after failing alcoblow tests were released by magistrates due to the misinterpretation.

However, it later emerged that the Appellate Judges had ruled that it was illegal for motorists to be charged under the rules that operationalized the Traffic Act instead of the Act.

Put differently, the judges wanted offending motorists charged under the substantive Act itself and not the rules, meaning only the charges were defective and not the law as had been interpreted.